Coming Home on a Friday Evening
by caromac
Summary: Chris and Jal come home to the same place at the end of the day. Each other. Chris / Jal. Spoilers for S2: "Chris."


**Title: **Coming Home on a Friday Evening  
**Author: **puccafan  
**Characters / Pairing: **Chris / Jal, Cassie.  
**Spoilers: **S2: "Chris. "  
**Summary: **Chris and Jal come home to the same place at the end of the day. Each other.  
**Disclaimer: **Not mine, never mine.  
**A/N: **I said I would so I did; happy Chris / Jal fic. Well, tired and happy Chris / Jal fic. It's quite domestic so I hope it isn't OOC. Not sure that this is my best peice ever ...

But if all goes well I'm planning this as the first part of a trio of fics; one for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

* * *

Friday evening. After a day of clarinet practice, psychology coursework, her father and general dissatisfaction with the world at large, Jal found herself knocking on Chris's door at 9:30 at night; utterly exhausted, but also utterly desperate to get inside and curl up in his bed. Preferably with him as a human duvet. She'd never tell anyone, but for a tough, no-nonsense, streetwise daughter of a renowned rap artist with a _fuck off_ for every occasion, Jal _really_ liked a cuddle every now and then.

As she stared at the door Jal could feel her eyes drooping dangerously. He head felt as if it was about to fall off. She waited as patiently as she could to hear the familiar sound of Chris's easily recognisable footsteps, and for the door to swing open so she could be greeted with a smile and hug, thank you very much.

No footsteps came and Jal gave about half a minute or so before she tried knocking again, only a little louder. At the same time she attempted to quash the burgeoning realization that Chris might not actually be at home. She vaguely recollected that it was around 8, as she had left town about 7 and there had been tons of traffic, and as a result she had had a down right pissy bus driver. But if it was 8 Chris should be home from work, either having a smoke with Cass up against the garden wall, doodling on his bedroom ceiling or making toast.

Still there were no foot steps heard and the door remained exactly where it was, infuriating an already semi-pissed off Jal with it's demeaning, splintered blankness. In an attempt to ignore it Jal leaned her head against it, and forgoing knocking called out through the plywood.

" Chris? You in there?"

There was no reply, but Jal continued; her brain too weary for any inhibitions right now.

" Chris, I _really _need you to be in there. "

In the corridor behind her a light buzzed. There was no other sound. And her heels were killing her.

" Chris, fucking be here right now or I'm gonna fly kick your door down you arsehole. "

" Jal?"

His voice came from behind her. And a small bit in the corner of her brain went _ah_. Still, Jal didn't move her head.

" Chris?" she echoed back flatly.

Still dressed in his work clothes, Chris approached her from behind. Concernedly he placed his hand on the flat of her back.

" You all right?"

Jal only groaned in response, and turned into his shoulder. As he opened his arms to wrap them around her Chris dropped his suitcase on the floor. She burrowed her head into his neck and though tempted he didn't squirm. He was a bit ticklish in that spot, but he didn't mind, and her warm breath dancing across his skin was kind of nice after not seeing her all day. Soothingly Chris brought his hand up and stroked the back of Jal's head. He was a little surprised to feel her relax in his arms as he did so; what had been the chances that a guy like him would ever be the one to do the hug and comforting thing?

As they stood still Jal snaked her arms around Chris's waist. Considering how closely she had herself pressed against him Chris surmised that she had had a pretty shitty day.

" What happened?"

He felt another hot flutter of breath against his skin as Jal exhaled grumpily.

" Nothing. Everything. My Dad mostly. And Michelle. And coursework. And shit."

She shifted slightly in his arms and he pressed a responding kiss to her head, where it was tucked under his chin.

" 'm jus' sleepy. " she murmured.

" Well, that's easy enough. Even I can do a fucking bed. "

Chris turned his head and glanced down the corridor.

" Hey Cass, you got the keys?"

The girl in question blinked, flickering back into awareness.

" Oh, yeah, of course. Totally, for sure."

Chris looked down as he felt Jal move in his arms. Raising her head she squinted down the corridor at Cassie, then upon recognising the ghostly, blonde girl straightened up sharply, and pulled herself out of Chris's embrace, tucking her hair behind her ear. Chris watched her, noting the bags under her eyes and the fact she had her hair down and pushed back from her face with a headband, the way he liked. Jal smiled quickly at Chris and crossed her arms. She hadn't realized Cassie had been watching.

Cassie looked Jal up and down, as if she were meeting her for the first time. Understandably a little uncomfortable under Cassie's more-intense-than-usual observation, Jal shifted and tried to redirect the focus.

" Hey Cass. What's in the bags?" she asked, nodding her head at the white, plastic sacks hanging from Cassie's hands.

" Chris and I are shopping for bread. " Cassie replied. " And willy covers. Chris keeps stealing mine."

Chris coughed awkwardly and shot a quick smile at Jal.

" Groceries. "

Jal smiled too and nodded back, although still aware that Cassie was continuing to stare at her in that eerily observant way. She might have blushed if she weren't so tired.

Instead Jal turned to Chris and cocked her head at the door, looking at him meaningfully at the same time. Chris blinked, then nodded in quick succession.

" What? Oh right, yeah."

Chris grabbed the keys off Cassie, and after the usual moment of fumbling with the lock took Jal by the hand and led her straight to the "master" bedroom, her bag dropping and his suitcase booted through the door somewhere along the way.

As Chris kicked open the folding door that never folded Jal flopped backwards onto the bed with a sigh full of pleasure.

" Oh Chris, these pillows feel so fucking good. You have no idea. "

Chris sat down to next to her, and swung his legs up onto the bed.

" Jesus, go easy Jal - might make me jealous."

Jal let her eyes close and smiled sleepily.

" Sorry." she murmured unconvincingly.

She moved a little, digging into the covers and leaning over her Chris pulled up the pillow and propped her head against it. Happily situated Jal let out another sigh of contentment, and slowly her breathing eased out and slowed down.

As she drifted off Chris watched her. He could tell the exact moment she fell asleep; her eyes did a weird fluttery thing and her nostrils flared. He knew about it through experience; he wasn't a particularly heavy sleeper, whilst Jal was, and watching her when he was awake was as fun as anything else. And now he knew her tells he loved to spot them, like the way when she got really excited she would laugh behind her hand, and when she yawned she screwed her whole face up, nose, eyes and all. Her going-to-sleep face was Chris's favourite by far though. It probably wasn't very pretty, but he liked it.

Nobody else probably even knew about it. Chris was aware Jal wasn't a virgin - he'd known that way back when, despite his teasing - but he was pretty sure that like him she'd never actually _slept_ with someone before. Not someone who'd stay awake and watch you anyway. And he would bet anyone that Jal's Dad didn't know about his daughter's tells.

In fact Chris bet that he was the only person in the whole wide world to know about Jal's flaring nostrils. And he loved it.

As he watched Jal dozing in his bed, Chris marvelled at her. Jal was out like a light now, and gently snoring too - not that he'd ever tell her that. And it was only bloody 8 o'clock. She must have been fucking wiped. But she had decided to come here, to him. They hadn't arranged it, but he had almost expected her anyway. She turned up most nights now, whether pucking was on the table or not. ( And sometimes - when Cassie wasn't home - it literally was _on_ the table. ) God knew what her Dad must be thought of her. But Chris didn't really fucking care. He was just fucking relieved to have her. And on tonight of all nights - _Friday _night - he almost didn't mind that she was asleep, and he was wide awake.

" Cass? "

There was a movement behind him and Cassie appeared at the side of the bed, daintily dressed in a filmy nightgown.

But Chris didn't notice Cassie's apparel - or lack of. Instead he gazed at the sleeping Jal and smiled fondly.

"The willy covers are all yours tonight mate. "

Cassie smiled in dreamy delight.

" Wow, that's so good. Wolfgang will be so pleased. "

Struck by this statement, Chris turned and looked at his roommate for a moment. He noticed the nightgown and he looked back up to her face and met her eyes without saying anything. Cassie continued to smile, but not obliviously. Whatever was broken inside her was still showing, somehow. But Chris knew she didn't want it to, so he nodded quietly and turned his back to her. Sliding closer to Jal he pulled the wonky folding door behind him shut, as silently as he could.

In all honesty, he just didn't want to know.

Beside Chris Jal snuffled in her sleep.

Chris kicked off his shoes and laid back properly on the bed. Resting his head on the pillows ( courtesy of Jal ) Chris fixed his eyes on the ceiling. He looked up at his doodles from earlier, sketched in biro and darkened with the eyeliner Jal left over by accident the other day. Chris settled on his favourite patch and wiggled his toes happily as he studied his artwork. A little stick figure Chris, and a little stick figure Jal, and in between them a little stick figure house.

* * *


End file.
